Electrical connector



Nov. 19, 1940. w. H. COCHRAN ETA 2,222,252

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Filed July 18, 1959 1N VEN TOR WALTER H. (YOU/{RAN AND BY IAN a. MGKEC'H/V/E.

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Patented Nov. 19, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlC- ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Delaware Application July 18, 1939, Serial No. 285,124

3 Claims.

Our present invention relates to electrical connectors for attaching wires to other electrical apparatus, the connectors being of special importarise and utility where vibration is likely tooocur and where the electrical apparatus is of a relatively expensive and delicate nature, our invention comprising means for maintaining contact while permitting play between the apparatus and the mounting for the connector. The invention is illustrated and described in connection with an automobile headlight of the type comprising a hermetically sealed lens and'parabolic glass rehector and having a plurality of filaments sealed therein and terminals for the filaments projectthe; therefrom. Such a construction is far more expensive to replace than the conventional bulb which screws into a socket, but for simplicity of manufacture, increased life, and other reasons, headlights of the type in question are becoming more in vogue, and accordingly the present invention is designed to eliminate the major source or trouble therewith which is that the glass reilector cracks due to strains imposed at the terminals oi the filaments.

The object of our invention is to provide a com hector having a plurality of clips associated therewith, each oi which comprises means for attaching a wire thereto and means for gripping a terminal point or plate, said clips being mounted in such fashion as to be relatively free to move to a limited extent in several directions whereby in.- equalities in the spacing and alignment of substantially rigid terminals extending from an electrical apparatus may be accommodated.

it further object of the present invention is to devise means of the type in question which is very inexpensive, easily manufactured and assembled, will not get out of order or permit slippage of terminals therefrom, and which has other advantages as will presently appear.

The invention may be more fully understood iroin a study of the following specification and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a preferred form of the invention is disclosed and wherein like numerals refer to like parts thr'oughout.

In the drawing, Fig. l discloses a modern form oi automobile headlight having the present in vention attached thereto; 7

Fig. 2 is an isometric view of the present invention in assembled form;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the present invention in assembled form;

Fig, 4 is a vertical section taken substantially along lines L- l oi Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the present invention; and,

Fig. 6 is an exploded view of the present invention showing details of each of the separate parts thereof.

Fig. 1 discloses electrical apparatus comprising a hermetically sealed headlight ill comprising a glass reflector ii and a permanently attached lens it in which is sealed a plurality of filaments l3 and It. Such a light is of particular utility as the headlight of an automobile since the lightproducing portion of the filament it may be located substantially at the focal point of the reflector ii in order that a long-range beam oi light may be projected from the headlight when the filament ii! is energized, and the filament it may be located above the focal point of the reflector H in order that a short-range, spreading beam of light may be projected downwardly when the filament M is energised. The headlight is provided with terminals it indicated in Fig. 4, one oi which is common to both filaments, and the other two of which are individual to one of the filaments and connect with a selector switch of conventional type.

The present invention, disclosed more completely in Figs. 2 to 6, inclusive, comprises a body it having a plurality of clips it permanently but relatively yieldably mounted thereon. The body it comprises a plate 22 ct relatively rigid insulate ing material, and the clips it are made of a conducting metal. The clips ii are associated with the plate it as will presently be explained and are locked in place by holding plates it and it engaging inner surfaces of the clips it on opposite sides of plate 22, the locking plates and body plate being permanently attached together by a rivet it;

Each of the clips ii comprises a terminal engaging portion St and a wire gripping portion it connected by a reduced intermediate portion 32. The reduction in width of the portion it results in the formation of shoulders at on the wire engaging portion 3i and the shape oi the clip engaging portion is such as to provide shoulders on the opposite side of the reduced portion 32. The body plate it is provided with an opening it of such configuration as to define three locating notches 35, each of a width slightly greater than the width of the reduced portion 32 of the clips. The locating notches it are pref erably arranged at right angles to each other so as to locate the clips substantially radially outward from the center of the body plate 22 so as to be substantially in line with terminal clips located radially about the central point of the reflector II. The wire attaching end of the clip 2| is preferably bifurcated and the ends of the tines thereof are bent inwardly to form hooks 36 and 31 of different radii, one of which, as shown in Fig. 5, may engage the insulation 38, and the other of which may engage the conductor 39, of an insulated wire leading from the source of electricity. The terminal engaging portions of the clips 2| comprise oppositely extending lateral wings 43 which extend at an angle upward and outward from the body of the clip and are then bent backward and downward toward the center of the clip. The reversed ends of the wings 43 terminate in rounded edges as at 44, the tips of which are spaced slightly to the sides of, and above, a projection 45 struck upwardly from the center of the terminal engaging portion.

The edge of the opening 34 between the notches 35 is preferably rounded at 40 between adjacent locating notches so as to provide an opening of sufiicient width to accommodate the wire engaging portion of a clip which may be inserted therethrough from the front side toward the rear, and then engaged in the locating notch at one side, whereupon a succeeding clip may be inserted and engaged in the locating notch of the other side and the middle clip inserted and engaged in the locating notch at the top of the body plate. The lower edge of theopening 40 is preferably so shaped as to provide a central, upwardly extending tongue 4| in order that as much material as possible may surround a substantially centrally located rivet-receiving opening 42.

When the three clips are in assembled relationship with the plate 22 as previously described, holding plates 23 and 24 are inserted between the clips to hold them in position. The rivet 25 is then passedthrough aligned openings 46 in plate 23, 42 in plate 22, and 41 in plate 24, and its end riveted over to hold the members in assembled position. The dimensions of the plates 23 and 24 are preferably slightly less than the dimensions of plates which would have snug, tight-fitting engagement with the inner surfaces of the clips in order that the clips may rock about the connecting portions 32 in one direction, and the width of the connecting portion 32 is preferably slightly greater than the thickness of plate 22 in order that the clips may rock about the connecting portions in another direction, whereby to permit variations in alignment to be accommodated.

It is to be noted that the reversely and inwardly directed ends of the wings 43 terminate in rounded edges so that a flat terminal plate l5 may be slipped into the clip and have a point engagement with the projection 45 as well as point engagement with the edges 44 in order that rocking of the clip about the connecting portion 32 may be accommodated while the clip maintains a firm grip upon the terminal plate. The terminal plate may be provided with a complementary projection within which the projection 45 may be received, but such a complementary projection may be omitted if the terminal plate is thin and resilient.

It is to be noted that the present invention accommodates poorly aligned terminals within wide limits." The edge of the body plate 22 may be used for locating the connector in some permanent fixture associated with the headlight mounting means, hence the lens and connector will be in substantial alignment, but the rocking of the clim permits suflicient vertical or lateral misalignment to accommodate all normal errors of production in the light itself in order that close tolerances need not be observed. Similarly the body plate may be canted slightly without losing its effectiveness; and vibrations between the headlight and the connector may be permitted without causing failure of the headlight due to fatigue and fracture of one of the terminals. The greatest function of the invention, however, is to preserve the headlight unit by protecting it from failure due to the imposition of strains upon the reflector II as was occasioned by previous types of connectors.

Having described and illustrated a preferred form of our invention, it should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the same permits of various modifications in detail and arrangement. All such as come within the scope of the following claims are considered a part of our v invention.

We claim:

1. An electrical connector comprising a body plate of insulating material, said body plate having an opening therethrough of such configuration as to define a plurality of clip locating notches and a central passage, a plurality of connecting clips extending through said opening substantially normal to the surfaces of said body plate, each of said connecting clips having an intermediate reduced portion and larger end portions, at least one of said larger end portions being capable of passing through said central passage during assembly of the connector, and retaining means associated with said body plate and blocking said central passage to prevent withdrawal of said clips after assembly of the connector, each of said clips being loosely mounted on said body plate with the intermediate reduced portion thereof pivotally engaged in a separate locating notch, the larger end portions of said clips having shoulders thereon defining the limits of said reduced portions and preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said clips with respect to said body plate, said reduced portions and shoulders being so loosely engageable with said body plate as to permit said clips to pivot in substantially any direction from normal whereby to permit engagement of said connector with appliances having poorly located terminals.

2. An electrical connector comprising a body plate of insulating material, said body-plate having an opening therethrough of such configuration as to define a plurality of clip locating notches, a plurality of connecting clips extending through said opening substantially normal to the surfaces of said body plate, each of said connecting clips having an, intermediate reduced portion and larger end portions, and clip holding plates of insulating material centrally attached to the surfaces of said body plate in position to engage said clips and retain them in said locating notches, the dimensions of said clip holding plates being slightly less than the dimensions of plates which would snugly fit between said clips whereby said clips are loosely mounted on said body plate by the intermediate reduced portions of said clips being pivotally engaged in said locating notches, the larger end portions of said clips having shoulders thereon defining the limits of said reduced portions and preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said clips with respect to said body plate, said reduced portions and shoulders being so loosely engageable with said body plate as to permit said clips 75 to pivot in Substantially any direction from normal whereby topermit engagement of'said connector with appliances having poorly located terminals.

3. An electrical connector comprising a body plate of insulating material, said body plate having anopening therethrough of such configuration as to define a'plurality of clip locating notches, a plurality of connecting clips extending through said opening substantially normal to thesurfaces of said body plate, each of said connecting clips having an intermediate reduced portion and larger end portions, anda clip holding plate of insulating material centrally associated with said body plate in posi-. tion to engage said clips and retain them in said locating notches, the dimensions of said clip holding plate being slightly less than the (11- I mensions of a plate which would snugly fit between said clips whereby said clips are loosely mounted on said body plate by the intermediate reduced portions of said clips being pivotally engaged in said locatingnotches, the larger end portions of said clips having shoulders thereon defining the limits of said reduced portions and preventing substantial longitudinal movement of said clips with respect to said body plate, said reduced portions and shoulders being so loosely engageable .with said body plate as to permit said clips to pivot in substantially any direction from normal whereby to permit engagement of said connector with appliances having poorly located terminals.

. WALTER H. COCHRAN.

IAN C. McKECHNIE. 

